Loosen Your Hips With Pigeon Pose in Motion

If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, you’re probably familiar with the pigeon pose. As a lifelong runner and lifter, this is a move that I struggled to master, and often found myself falling over in a room full of perfect pigeons.

When I learned this dynamic (moving) version of the pigeon pose, I immediately fell in love with it as a part of my running warmup and cool down.

It allows for modifications for people with less-than-perfect hip mobility (A.K.A. most of the running population). Plus, it provides a stretch through the hips, quads, hamstrings, etc. You name it, and this active stretch hits it.

DYNAMIC PIGEON POSE:

STEP 1: Start in a downward facing dog position. Your feet may be flat on the floor, or you can be up on your toes. Hands should be flat on the ground out in front of you. Your hips should be flexed, with your glutes high up in the air.

STEP 2: Raise the left leg up into the air and “open” the hips by arching the foot back toward the opposite side of your body. Maintain contact with the ground on the right foot, as well as both hands.

STEP 3: Bring the left leg back down and bend your left knee, attempting to meet it with your right elbow or wrist. This brings you into more of a traditional pigeon pose.

STEP 4: Raise the left leg back up in the air to “open” the hips again.

STEP 5: Finish the move back in downward facing dog, and repeat the steps with your right leg.

Doing 5-10 repetitions of this on each leg will create mobility in the hips and a great stretch through your legs.